CEO Tanzanian Private Sector Foundation gives a statement to members of the press, flanked by the country director, Sproxil Tanzania (L), and regional director, Sproxil Africa (R)

Dar es Salaam- Tanzania (October 27, 2017) – Sproxil, a global leader in mobile-based brand protection and consumer engagement technology, has opened a country office in Tanzania. The launch event was held on the 26th of October to formally present its award-winning suite of solutions to corporate entities, regulatory bodies, and the government, as well as facilitate discussions on a cohesive approach to fighting counterfeiting.

In addition to introducing Sproxil’s solutions to corporate Tanzania, the event served as a platform for fostering understanding and mapping out areas of collaboration between all stakeholders in the anti-counterfeiting and consumer engagement space. To represent the regulatory bodies, there were presentations from the Tanzanian Board of Standards, and the Tanzanian Food & Drug Administration. There was also a panel of representatives from law enforcement, as well as strategically chosen directors of Tanzanian private companies to represent the interests of their respective sectors.

Speaking on the significance of the launch to society in general, Chinedum Chijioke, Managing Director, Sproxil Africa, said “fake, illegal or substandard products are a danger to the health of the public, financial and reputational health of well-meaning brands, and also negatively impact the economy. When this happens, the low-income earners in the society are most vulnerable, which is why it is the duty of both the private & public sector to empower them through the adoption of easy to use, effective solutions like Sproxil Defender.”

Speaking of UKAID's motivation for partnering with Sproxil, David McGinty, the team leader for HDIF Tanzania, said: "Sproxil’s consumer interaction technology is a good example of innovative, scalable, information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D), that we believe have the potential to achieve sustainable societal impact."Although illegal and counterfeit pharmaceutical inputs were the focus of the workshop, Sproxil’s verification service can be used by brands from any sector. With a mobile phone, Tanzanian consumers will now be able to verify the authenticity of their goods in seconds, by sending the unique codes on the products to Sproxil’s designated verification system. Since the launch of this service in 2010, Sproxil has fielded over 50 million direct consumer interactions for brands globally, the highest number recorded.

About SproxilSproxil® uses mobile technology and a proprietary fraud detection platform to launch secure, data-driven consumer engagement programs globally. Sproxil’s multi-award winning solutions are deployed by multinational manufacturers and brands across multiple industries to prevent supply chain fraud, amplify brand awareness, and optimize marketing expenditure. With teams of experts in Africa, Asia and America, Sproxil has executed projects across five continents and can offer services in over 100 countries worldwide. Sproxil is the only consumer loyalty and brand protection expert with both ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification. For more information and a full list of Sproxil's product suite, please visit www.sproxil.com.

About UKAIDEstablished in 1997, the Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty through the UKaid program. DFID tackles the global challenges of our time including poverty and disease, mass migration, insecurity, and conflict. Our work is building a safer, healthier, more prosperous world for people in developing countries and the UK too. We work in countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, many of which are fragile or at risk from fragile neighbors. We also have regional programmes in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, and development relationships with three aid dependent Overseas Territories – St Helena, the Pitcairn Islands, and Montserrat. In addition to working directly in countries, DFID also gives UK Aid through multi-country global programmes and core contributions to multilaterals.

About HDIFHDIF aims to identify and support innovations that have the potential to create social impact in education, health and, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) across Tanzania. With a focus on market-driven solutions, HDIF catalyzes the development, testing and scaling of innovative models of service delivery, information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D), and product solutions in health, education, and WASH. With a mission to catalyze social impact through innovation in education, health and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) by supporting innovators through a challenge fund and expert assistance; the three main components of the programme are Inspiring, Catalyzing, and Transforming.